This invention relates to fluid control valves and more particularly to a high temperature fire hazard shutdown valve for interrupting fluid flow.
1. Field of the Invention
Relief valves or emergency shutdown valves for protecting equipment and piping under greater than a predetermined value for releasing or stopping the flow of fluid are well known. However, there is a need for a heat responsive valve to be interposed in a fluid conducting line which is responsive to excessive heat such as, heat generated by a fire in which a heat responsive element forms a fuse for moving a valve from an open fluid flow position to a closed position or vice versa.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art generally reveals a plurality of heat responsive valves, commonly referred to as sprinkler valve heads, which are connected with a fluid fire retardant, usually water, which is released to control the fire in response to a predetermined temperature melting a fusible link maintaining the sprinkler head in valve closed position which when melted by excessive heat allows fluid to be sprayed into a predetermined area for controlling fires.
This invention provides a valve which controls the flow of fluid by allowing fluid flow therethrough in which a heat fusible plug maintains a pressure responsive collapsible pin relief valve monitoring fluid flowing through the valve and interrupts the flow by collapse of the pin in response to excessive fluid pressure with the additional feature of the heat fusible plug melting as a result of a fire and releasing one end portion of the pressure responsive collapsible pin, thus allowing fluid pressure to close the valve flow passageway.
I am not aware of any prior art valve disclosing this fluid pressure responsive, fusible plug type emergency shut-down valve.